(VAN) AVEC, the Association of Poultry Processors and Poultry Trade in the EU, strongly deplores the vote by EU member states in favour of the EU-Mercosur agreement.

Despite the intense political pressure exerted in recent weeks, several member states chose to resist and maintained their opposition to this agreement. AVEC wishes to sincerely thank these countries for their stance and their efforts to defend European agricultural producers. Unfortunately, this resistance was not sufficient to prevent the approval of the agreement at Council level.

Lasting consequences for Europe’s poultry sector
AVEC reiterates its firm position that the EU-Mercosur agreement will have significant and lasting consequences for the European poultry sector, particularly when considered in the context of the cumulative impact of existing and forthcoming trade agreements.

Already today, more than 25% of poultry breast meat consumed in the EU originates from third countries. With the quotas foreseen in Mercosur agreement (180,000 mt), total imports would represent 9% of total EU poultry consumption, placing unsustainable pressure on EU producers who are subject to the world’s highest standards in terms of food safety, animal welfare, environmental protection and social rules.

An unbalanced agreement
All eyes are now on the European Parliament. AVEC has full confidence that Members of the European Parliament will exercise their democratic responsibility and reject this unbalanced agreement, which fails to ensure fair competition and adequate protection for sensitive agricultural sectors.

In this context, AVEC also strongly hopes that the European Parliament will support the referral of the agreement to the Court of Justice of the European Union, in order to obtain legal clarity on fundamental aspects of the deal.

A denial of democratic principles
In addition, any attempt to provisionally apply the agreement before a vote in the European Parliament would constitute a serious denial of democratic principles and bypass the European Union’s democratic approval process.

AVEC will now fully focus its efforts on engaging with the European Parliament to clearly demonstrate the very negative consequences this agreement would have for EU poultry producers, rural employment and the sustainability of European production. The association says that it remains committed to constructive dialogue with EU institutions but cannot accept trade policies that sacrifice European agriculture for geopolitical or commercial expediency.

HD / PW